Gina Mancuso

Classroom

Mancuso is a marketing major and is on track to graduate in May 2013. She was named a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-District VII selection in 2011. She was also a 2010 first-team academic All-Big 12 pick and earned academic All-Big Ten honors in 2011. Mancuso was a three-time selection to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was named to the fall 2011 and spring 2012 Nebraska student-athlete honor roll. In addition, she was the recipient of the high honors medallion at the 2011 Nebraska student-athlete recognition banquet.

Character

Mancuso is a true leader on the Nebraska volleyball team and exemplifies what it means to be a team player. After being tabbed the National Player of the Year by Volleyball Magazine and the AVCA and being the first-ever high school athlete from Nebraska to earn Gatorade National Player-of-the-Year accolades in 2008, she entered a team role from the minute she stepped on campus. Mancuso saw playing time as a freshman and sophomore, but was limited as she continued to provide depth at the outside hitter position. It wasn’t until her junior year when she became a full-time starter for the Huskers and excelled in that role, leading Nebraska to its first Big Ten Championship and earning first-team All-America honors.

Community

Mancuso excels on the court and off the court for the Huskers as she has been happy to volunteer her time with local organizations. A two-year member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, she has most recently served as the community outreach officer. Mancuso has also served as a member of the Husker Connect mentoring program and as a motivational speaker for a local foster care camp. She has been active in the community as part of Nebraska’s team efforts as she has volunteered on numerous hospital visits. Mancuso was also a volunteer for Operation Christmas Child and donated her time as a speaker during the Husker-for-a-Day event. Additionally, she has spent part of her offseason as a coach and instructor for area summer day volleyball camps.

Competition

Mancuso enters the 2012 season as an AVCA All-American outside hitter for the Huskers. She led Nebraska in 2011 and was a key asset in helping the Huskers to their first Big Ten Championship. She was named a second-team All-American by Volleyball Magazine and was selected to the Ameritas Player’s Challenge and MCM Elegante Lobo Classic all-tournament teams. Mancuso was a unanimous All-Big Ten pick in 2011, leading the Huskers in attacks, points, kills and aces. Her efforts kept her ranked in the top 10 in the Big Ten Conference for total kills during her entire junior season. She was named the Big Ten Player-of-the-Week twice in 2011 and posted 13 double-doubles on the year. Mancuso recorded a hitting percentage of .400 or better on five occasions and completed the season ranked eighth in the Big Ten in kills with 407 and ninth in points.